What happens when a psychological alteration occurs in childhood?

Childhood is a fundamental stage in which there are not only quantitative differences with respect to adulthood, but also several qualitative ones.

On a psychological level, children are no different from fully developed human beings because they lack information about how the world works; what shapes their way of thinking, behaving and feeling is not reduced to the relative absence of knowledge, but also has to do with the physical and functional characteristics of your brain. That is why in the first years of life little ones are capable of learning very quickly, and also why a psychological alteration at this age can easily leave a lasting mark on them.

And it is that the child's mind is characterized by its sensitivity to what comes from the environment, something with implications both in its learning capacity and in its mental health. Thus, In this article we will address the issue of what happens when a psychological disorder occurs in childhood, and why this is due.

• Related article: "The 6 stages of childhood (physical and mental development)"

What are the main effects of psychological disturbances in childhood?

It is not that boys and girls are prone to developing psychopathologies in the face of practically any daily experience; after all, the development of the nervous system has been conditioned by natural selection exerted for hundreds of years. thousands of years, and no species of mammal could survive if its young were so sensitive to the adversities of the nature. But it is true that they are less equipped than adults when it comes to coping with experiences that overflow emotionally, and this difference is often overlooked by parents or caregivers in general. That is why it is important to take into account the phenomena that we will see below and that are triggered when boys and girls suffer emotional disturbances caused by experiences that generate discomfort.

1. Are prone to trauma

During the first years of life we ​​are more vulnerable to traumatic experiences. These can make our emotional memory not adequately process the contents associated with a painful memory about what It has happened to us, so that every time those memories come to our consciousness, we suffer a crisis due to destabilization mental. This phenomenon can occur at any age, although when it occurs in the early years it has a greater capacity to wear on mental health in the long term due to the “snowball” effect that it generates in a stage of life in which many things scare us or make us feel insecure.

• You may be interested in: "The 6 characteristics of childhood traumas"

2. They direct frustration at themselves or at others

When little ones feel very frustrated or experience anger about something that has happened to them, they tend to attribute "blame" drawing very clear lines between those responsible for what happened and who don't They often blame someone else only when they experience a problem of their own making, or they blame themselves after being attacked or bullied at school. It is a tendency to dichotomous thinking, free of nuances, something due to the fact that their capacity for abstract thought is not yet fully developed and that although it helps them to learn without constantly feeling Confused by the complexity of the world, it can lead them to suffer a lot of guilt in situations that are unfair to them, or to adopt a hostile attitude that worsens their relationships with others. others.

3. Social isolation has deeper effects

When something happens to us that overwhelms us emotionally due to the anxiety symptoms or depression that makes us live, it is possible that we choose to isolate ourselves socially a little more; however, this will not significantly affect our personality or our social skills. However, in childhood can delay the acquisition of social skills and make a good part of the structure of the child's behavior patterns change, since the personality is still being formed.

• Related article: "Unwanted loneliness: what it is and how we can fight it"

4. Early relationships greatly influence how they will relate to each other as adults.

Finally, it should be noted that in childhood we learn the most relevant aspects of how personal relationships work, and this learning remain in a latent state, conditioning our “philosophy” when starting and managing relationships friendship, family and partner during the following years. This is because, first of all, these experiences mark us emotionally, and not intellectually; we learn what to expect from others by experiencing how we feel in the absence or presence of the father or mother, and by From there we instruct a series of explanations about relationships as we develop the ability to use the language. For this reason, if these first contacts generate stress or general malaise, this will alter Too bad the way we relate in adulthood if we don't have psychological support professional.

• You may be interested in: "The 7 types of emotional attachment (and psychological effects)"

How to recognize psychological alterations in childhood?

In order to recognize psychological disorders in childhood and find a way to treat them, psychologists should specialize in psychological intervention at this stage childish. Childhood is a particularly delicate time in the development of a person, where the foundations of personality are established and experiences are lived that will mark the course of life.

To specialize in mental health during the early stages of development and growth of people, the Master's Degree in Child Psychology at Mediterranean School of Psychology It can be one of the best options to study online, since it will train whoever studies it to recognize, improve and prevent the main disorders that can appear at this stage of the life.

On the other hand, if what you are looking for is a specialization in child emotional development, another very appropriate option is the Postgraduate in emotional education during early childhood.

A training that also contemplates the development of adolescents with the main milestones and The most common mental disorders that occur at this stage is the Master's Degree in Childhood Psychology and Adolescence.

These are extensive programs, with complete and updated syllabi, in a 100% online format, with the aim that the student can manage their time as they prefer. In addition, throughout the training, the student will have the support of expert tutors and the entire team of the Mediterranean School of Psychology.